Gas saturator and detector



Feb. 25, 1969 c. J. GATZA GAS SATURATOR AND DETECTOR Casper 6 62735362 j W M a e o o- 2 w 4 2 f m a v M @J A United States Patent 3,429,676 GAS SATURATOR AND DETECTOR 606-18 An apparatus having a casing which contains liquid, 21 gas inlet having a perforated enlargement near the bottom of the liquid, means to progressively decrease the sizes of the bubbles being passed through the liquid in their path to the gas out1et.

This invention moistens and noticeably odorizes dry gases by mixing, agitating, impregnating and bubbling them as they flow from a source of supply to a furnace or some other device for utilizing them.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a device which affects all the gas in stages, concluding with the reduction of the material to small bubbles of gas in tiny globules or encased in thin watery films which disintegrate when the impregnated gas is fed to a furnace.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure relief which automatically becomes operative for a greater amount of gas or to take up gas at a higher pressure.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing a gas saturator and detector in accordance with this invention between a gas supply and a furnace for burning it;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a gas saturator and detector;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the first perforated plate; 7

FIGURE 4 is a top view of a second perforated plate with smaller openings; and

FIGURE 5 is a top view of a third perforated plate with still smaller openings.

Gas bubbled through a chemical liquid in globules of progressively smaller sizes, not only thoroughly impregnates and agitates the gas, but also decreases the carbon monoxide in the mixture, moistens the dry gas, and gives odor from the chemical which makes it noticeable for indicating leakage or that the chimney or exhaust is faulty and needs cleaning. Moistening of the gas reduces the temperature of the furnace and the exhaust piping to produce an equivalent heating effect.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a saturator and bubbling device is interposed in a gas supply line between a source of supply 12 with a gas meter 14, and a heater 16 or some other user of gas. The gas supply is controlled by a manual valve 18 and an automatic control valve 20, and the treated gas is fed by a burner 22 to the furnace or heater 16. Connected to the heater 16 is a heat distributor pipe 24 and a flue 26 which is connected to -a smoke pipe or chimney. In the smoke pipe is a diverter 28 which may pick up some of the gas or leakage discharges from the heater supply pipes.

The device 10 comprises a casing 30 for liquid with a closed bottom and a removable top 31 with a central inlet opening 32, and having a side outlet opening 34 near the top. A liquid chemical 36, such as blue Petrenol (Norman Chem.) or some other odor or chemical is placed in the casing below the outlet opening 34, and a number of deflectors are located therein.

3,429,676 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 Extending downwardly from the top opening 32 to a point near but above the bottom is an inlet tube 40 of uniform diameter having a conical enlargement 42 slightly less in diameter than the casing with a bottom 44 raised above the bottom of the casing. In this bottom 44 is a preferably central pressure relief opening 46, and in the conical enlargement are a number of openings 48, the summation of whose area is approximately that of the inlet tube 40.

Attached to the outside of the tube is a first stage bubbler plate having openings 52 smaller than those of the cone 42, and above the first plate is a second stage bubbler plate 54 having still smaller openings 56. In a three-stage bubbler, the first plate 50 is usually located at about one third of the normal height of liquid chemical 36 in the casing 30, and the second plate is at about two thirds of this height.

The openings 52 in the first plate 50 are about twice the number and half the diameter of those in the cone enlargement 42, and the openings 56 in the second plate 54 are about similar in number and size at this same ratio, compared with the first plate 50, so that the bubbler device openings are progressively smaller, resulting in the production of a multitude of small bubbles of liquid chemical 36 at the top surface, and an intimate mixture and impregnation of the gas with the chemical.

This mixture and impregnation of the gas moistens the gas and results in a greater warming effect than for dry gas and reduces or decreases the objectionable effects of carbon monoxide and other gases by dilution and intimate mixture.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas formed from incompletely consumed carbon, and occurring in gas and from gas and oil burners, engines, heaters, and the like.

If there is any leakage in the gas supply system, the objectionable odor of the escaping chemical is apparent to anyone in the house where the furnace is installed or where the detector and bubbling device 10 is placed. This gives immediate notice that there is gas leakage in the system, stoppage of the chimney or fine, or some other defect in the supply or use of the gas, which can then be corrected.

A gas liquid saturator of this type is also effective as applied to the exhaust of a gas engine for decreasing the fumes of carbon monoxide and making them less objectionable. Other chemicals may be used, and the size of the detector and saturator may be varied to accommodate various installations. The number of perforated plates and the sizes of the openings may be varied to meet different conditions without involving invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a gas saturator a closed casing with an inlet and an outlet, a tube leading from the inlet with an enlargement thereof near the bottom of the casing said enlargement having a plurality of openings for discharging gas therethrough from the said tube and through the outlet, a pungent liquid in the casing surrounding the enlargement and said openings, and means to progressively decrease the sizes in the pun-gent liquid of gas bubbles being passed through said openings in their path to the outlet.

2. In a gas saturating device, a closed casing for containing liquid, means forming an inlet in the casing for gas with an enlarged portion in the liquid near the bottom size of gas bubbles emerging from the liquid surface to the outlet.

3. In a gas bubbling device according to claim 2, a central inlet tube with a connected enlargement close to the bottom and substantially filling the casing with top openings aggregating an area less than that of the tube, and at least two perforated partitions spaced along the tube above the enlargement and below the outlet.

4. A gas bubbling device according to claim 3, the first partition above the enlargement having more openings smaller in size than are present on the enlargement.

5. In a gas bubbling device according to claim 3, a second partition having a greater number of openings smaller in size than those of the first partition and aggregating a smaller discharge are-a.

6. In a gas bubbling device, a closed casing for containing liquid at the bottom, a top for the casing having a central inlet tube extending toward the bottom, an enlargement of the tube closed at the bottom but spaced from the bottom of the casing and the sides thereof, said enlargement having a plurality of gas bubbling openings at the top, a first partition plate above the said enlargement, said first partition plate having more openings smaller in area than the openings at the top of the enlargement, a second partition plate spaced above the said first plate in the liquid and having more openings smaller in area than those of the first plate, and the casing having gas outlet means above the height of liquid therein to receive gas from the smallest bubbles at the surface of the liquid.

7. In a gas bubbling device in accordance with claim 6, pressure relief means comprising a pressure relief opening in the bottom of said enlargement, the space between the bottom of the enlargement and the bottom of the casing communicating with the interior of the casing around the sides of the enlargement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 838,091 12/1906 Dyer 261-123 1,051,957 2/1913 Jacobs et a1. 261124 1,605,298 6/1923 Sullivan 261-124 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

I. D. OLSEN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 5595; 261123 

